Ignoring class-size rules will have a price

Two extra children in the room can make a world of difference in any situation, but that difference is especially obvious when it comes to young children with a very wide range of abilities.

By Lindsay Griffin Special to the Star-Banner

I am dismayed at our county School Board’s assertion that it is more affordable to disregard the class-size amendment than it is to comply with it. While this may be true in pure dollars, they have yet to factor in the cost of lost education, lost opportunity and lost safety that come along with overcrowded classrooms.I taught ESE (Exceptional Student Education) Pre-K, and this past year, our class-size cap was raised from eight students per session to 10. Two extra children in the room can make a world of difference in any situation, but that difference is especially obvious when it comes to young children with a very wide range of abilities. Don’t get me wrong: Each of my students is an absolute treasure, and I would not trade the time spent with them for anything. However, if teaching positions continue to be cut, it will inevitably cause the caps on self-contained ESE classes to be raised again.Florida law requires day care centers to have a ratio of no more than 15 children per adult caregiver for 3-year-olds. First, let me state the obvious: While day care centers are invaluable, they serve to keep children safe and entertained. Any school’s primary purpose is to educate, which requires more focus, both from the child and the teacher.Second, I had a full-time paraprofessional who worked alongside me in the classroom, so we were in compliance with that regulation even when we met our caps. However, a startling number of paraprofessionals have been dismissed, and no one seems to know whether any ESE classes will have full-time assistance or not.Third, and perhaps most important, we must keep in mind that these children have delays which require more supervision per their Individual Education Plans and assistance than same-aged children who are developmentally on target. That is to say nothing of the time it takes to complete the paperwork, meetings and even testing (yes, even preschool students get tested).The School Board has been silent thus far regarding how students with special needs will be affected by the teacher cuts and increased class size. To parents, particularly those parents who have a child with special needs, I say this: Don’t let their silence fool you into thinking that your child’s school experience won’t be affected. If these cuts come into effect, it sadly will be inevitable.

Lindsay Griffin has been a certified sub in Marion County since 2010. She has a bachelor’s degree from New College of Florida and a master’s degree in music education from the University of Florida.